The Letter
by EternityDreams
Summary: A Rumbelle fanfiction: Slightly AU, still set in the Enchanted Forest. Belle escapes her home on her wedding day! How will her father and her groom-to-be,Gaston, hunt her down? And how does she find herself in the clutches of The Dark One? Rated M just to be on the safe side.
1. Chapter 1

The King burst into Belle's room, red faced in regalia. He was unaccustomed to blatant disobedience, especially in full view of the court. He fully expected her to be on her knees in fear of his wrath, pleading forgiveness. Or even innocence, a late night causing her to sleep in. He eyed her made bed studiously, as if had been a part of this betrayal and deserved interrogation.

His hands clenched and unclenched of their own accord.

"Your Majesty!" Gaston rushed into the room, dressed in white militia. He was a proud man, full of vanity and spoils and not much else. He was the envy the world over. Yet Belle still managed to make him feel 2ft tall at any given moment. It was frustrating but he never managed to get completely cross with her. He felt chained to her. The chain may have been glided and hidden; but it was still there. Cold and eternal.

He pointed to the dresser; there was a letter and a single red rose. In Belle's neat scrawl upon the front of the envelope were the words "My King".

The King winced; Belle had not called him Father in some time. He had chosen to ignore it and thus do the same- "child" had sufficed. He grabbed the letter and tore it open, skimming through the letter. The colour drained from his face as quickly as it had spread. Belle's father wobbled and Gaston caught him as he fell.

Belle was in awe and had been since she had left in the early hours, fully expecting to return. Now she was rethinking that, watching the sun rise in the forest was better than anything she had read about. She felt the heat in her skin, the damp dew and the refreshing breeze. She smelled the deep pine and the light herbs. She felt the bark of the trees and the soft brush underfoot. Belle hadn't realised she was weeping until she shielded her eyes from the sun.

Belle kept the main path in sight but hid herself in the woodland. She decided against going into the first village she came across. Belle was worried she might be discovered and was unwilling to let her new found freedom go so easily. It was nearly midday when she stopped in a town and bought bread, cheese and fruit from a vendor in the street. Belle hid her face in her shawl and only spoke in nods and shakes of her head. She was thankful the vendor didn't notice anything too strange about this. She stole quick glances whenever she could and clutched her satchel to her. Belle felt fear and she relished in it. Fear is hard to come by when everyone is so careful around you. Belle decided she must feel everything she could before going back. Every emotion, every _adventure_ engrained onto her memory; so she might persuade herself that she had lived before being enslaved to boredom.

Had Belle kept her wits about her she might have noticed a certain type of thug making eyes at her. Three of them followed her into the woods. Their bellies filled with ale and nothing good on their minds.


	2. Chapter 2

Rumpelstiltskin was enjoying his reputation. Everything in the woods seemed to retreat as fast as their legs could carry them. His hands flexed and magic flowed through him. He felt the world turn and it did so at his fingertips. Although Rumpelstiltskin revelled in the feeling it did have a tinge of emptiness. He knew it was only loneliness creeping in, had known it the first time the tendrils gripped his dead heart and squeezed. Knowing it and feeling it did not make it better. Rumpelstiltskin had begun to think of a way to ease his pain when the answer fell into his lap. Although it was more accurate to say it barrelled into him knocking him over. Rumpelstiltskin was about to unleash hell on his stupid and soon-dead opponent when he looked straight in blue sky eyes.

The eyes held the gaze, without fear.

"Oh! I am most sorry Sir!" Belle scrambled to get off of him and run for all her life was worth. The shouts from the men following her got closer by the second. A firm grip on her arm stopped her from doing just that.

"You will be dearie…" Rumpelstiltskin grinned and gestured with his free hand.

"Please Dark One! I just wish to get away from those men behind me!" Belle tried tugging her wrist free to no avail. His hold was iron, she vaguely wondered whether there was magic helping. Belle couldn't help but feel a certain pull towards this being.

"So you're good at running but not looking where you're going. Perhaps I shall put eyes in the back of your head!" Rumpelstiltskin cackled and allowed himself to look into those eyes one more time. The tendrils gripped tighter.

The three drunkards came barrelling into the clearing.

"Whoa!" Cried the ugliest one, his face one mass of scars.

"Give me the wench!" Said the tallest one, broad shouldered.

"Come on Brand…just let it go…" Said the smallest one, and obviously most intelligent.

"Shut up Trent!"

The small one stepped back.

" He can't do nuffin with her any which way!" Brand(The tallest, broad shouldered) grinned, showing blackened teeth.

"Nobody is doing anything with me!" Belle shouted.

All of them looked at her gobsmacked.

Belle continued "I decide my own fate!"

Rumpelstiltskin looked at this woman standing her ground. Well, stared. His grip lessoned without him noticing. Never in all his years had he seen that fire and coming from a scared woman! Although he pondered, she wasn't scared. He could sense fear; it was a very useful tool. She wasn't afraid, she was _angry._

Brand blinked but wasn't stunned for long, he advanced two sloppy steps and pointed a dirty finger at her. Belle held her ground, pure disgust shown on her face.

"You are coming wiv me pretty thing and even the Dark thing aint gonna do a thing to stop me!"

"Oh really dearie? The way I see it this 'pretty thing' is my prisoner!" Rumpelstiltskin's eyes glittered with rage. He let go off the woman and summoned two great fire balls in the palms of his hands.

The three oafs trembled. Rumpelstiltskin grinned wider. Now he was in his element.

Trent(The shortest and smartest) and the ugliest one ran back the way they came.

Brand stumbled back but didn't run.

"My, my, not smart are we?" Rumpelstiltskin threw a bolt of fire.

"No!" Belle pushed The Dark One off course, the ball blasted against a tree mere inches from Brand's head. Brand looked blankly behind him at the blazing tree and passed out with a thump against the forest floor.

Rumpelstiltskin glared at this insufferable woman. How _dare_ she come between him and his prey!

"He didn't deserve to die!" Belle had her hands on hips, looking like a mother reprimanding her young.

"He deserves what The Dark One gives him!" His voice went in a high pitch as he got angrier.

"You don't have the right to make that choice!" Belle wasn't through yet. She knew she should just apologize and run, run far away. Or thank him for scaring those brutes away. The pulling sensation just wouldn't _stop._

Rumpelstiltskin calmed his breathing, gave her an elaborate bow and disappeared in a purple mist.

"Wait!" Belle reached out into the mist, touching nothing. She looked around and suddenly felt so alone. She wanted to cry. Instead she took a deep breath and picked up her satchel that flew off in her scramble to get away.


	3. Chapter 3

Belle was about to sit down and read the book she had brought with her when she heard the unmistakeable sound of the royal guards horns. Every other morn they had pealed out after a hunt, or during a parade. Now they were here to hunt her down.

Belle grabbed the hem of her skirts and ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Before she realised, she ran straight to the edge of a cliff and slipped into the waters, tens of feet below.

Rumpelstiltskin was still incensed about being talked down to. Who was she? Where did she come from? Why did he leave? He hadn't transported himself far; he just needed to get away from her infectious presence. He did not make a habit of helping young women. Nor did he intend to, but when he heard a scream he darted to the source without a moment's hesitation. He felt instinctively it was that blasted woman again. He saw he tumble into the waters below, anger at her foolishness rising to his face. He manipulated the water to bring her to the shore, dragging her the rest of the way. His anger abated when he noticed she was unconscious, he bent down beside her. She was breathing and he thanked the dark star he was born under. He was going to try to wake her when he realised he didn't even know her name. No, he shouldn't know her name. Rumpelstiltskin decided to take her back to his castle until she woke. Then he would definitely release her and think of her no more.

Belle awoke shivering. She was wearing sodden clothes and remembered falling into the water. She had never felt so scared and was incredibly grateful to be alive. So much so she almost considered going back at once. Belle wondered where she was. It was an opulent room, even more so than her palace home. She rose slowly and stiffly, even her shoes had been left on. She removed them.

Belle needed to find fresh clothes at the very least, or she might well catch something. She looked around and found an internal door, cautiously she opened it. A luscious bathroom greeted her, a steaming bath and a fresh dress over a chair. Whoever saved her must care about her a great deal. Then she froze. What if this was a trick? The bath could be filled with poison, or this could be Gaston's castle! Belle backed away.

"What's the matter dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin's disembodied voice echoed in the large bathroom.

Belle was startled but a little relieved.

"Thank you…for saving my life." Belle looked up and around but the voice didn't answer.

Belle hoped he wasn't watching as she bathed her cold limbs. Although the thought of it thrilled her enough to make her cheeks red. Why was she drawn to this man? Why did she trust him?

After Belle bathed and dressed she found the door to the hallway open. An inviting aroma greeted her and coaxed her down a flight of overly large stairs. She found a dining table full of rich meats and sweet treats. Belle hadn't realised how hungry she was! She immediately grabbed a plate and took a small amount of everything.

Belle sat down and began to eat, wondering if Rumpelstiltskin would join her. After she had eaten her fill she relaxed in a comfy chair that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Belle tried calling out his name. After three times she got up and decided to try to find him.

Belle looked in every door she came across, but still no luck. Then she came across a great hall, the doors wide open into the unknown. Then it struck her. He hadn't expected her to stay. He didn't want her in his castle. Belle shook her head. If he really didn't like her, he wouldn't have saved her life in the first place. She turned on her heel. She was going to talk to him whether he wanted to or not.

Belle took a deep breath. "RUMPELSTILTSKIN!"

Rumpelstiltskin was sulking. He had to stop his experiments all day just to hide from her excessive curiosity. He had even gone to great lengths to guide her back to the front door. And she had turned back! Now she was hollering at him all around his bloody castle.

"WHAT?!" Rumpelstiltskin materialized in front of her.

"Oh!" Belle jumped. She hadn't expected him to be so close; she made out the scaly sheen of his skin. He smelled of oak and forest and something unplaceable but not unpleasant.

Belle stepped back and extended her hand in greeting.

"I'm Belle, I just wanted to thank you in person."

"The Dark One does not require gratitude. I simply didn't want your corpse in my lake."

"Well I'm grateful all the same. Surely I am in your debt now?" Belle was sure she read somewhere that if someone saves a life they own that life.

She wasn't sure whether she wanted that or not.

"That's not necessary dearie, I'm giving you your freedom. Now get out of my castle and don't come back!" Rumpelstiltskin regretted every word that spilled theatrically from his mouth.

Her freedom. It was all Belle ever wanted but now she was scared to get it back. She didn't know long it had been since she fell but she knew she hadn't lasted long on her own. Belle didn't want to leave and she didn't want to stay.

Rumpelstiltskin was seriously considering picking her up and throwing her out when she threw her arms around him and held him tight. It was too much. Her scent, her warmth, her breath on his collar. He closed his eyes and allowed himself a moment to drink her in.

"Please let me stay a little longer? I'll cook and clean and help you…" Belle trailed off. The words came spilling out of her mouth before her mind could stop them. Rumpelstiltskin was an evil bogey story for children, but it didn't compare to the real him. He put up a scary front but he had saved her life. Belle was drawn to the goodness she felt was hidden in him. A light made more beautiful by the darkness surrounding it.

"It's not…This won't be good for you…"

Belle had not yet heard his voice so soft. Rumpelstiltskin pushed her gently away.

"Go. I will not tell you again. I'm not here to corrupt young girls disobeying their parents." He walked past her.

"So you think I should just go home and be forced to marry someone I don't love. I should just be obedient." Belle looked down and her shoulders sagged. Was she just a stubborn brat?

Rumpelstiltskin could think of nothing worse than this fiery, curious creature being tamed, being a shell of herself.

"Belle…" He reached out for her, but stopped himself from touching her shoulders. He would disgust her, even more than those thugs.

"You can stay here a week, but no more!"

Belle turned around to thank him, but he was already gone.


End file.
